Van conversions, motor homes, and other recreational vehicles generally have a large surface area and a large interior volume, and they usually require an auxiliary heating and air conditioning system in the rear of the vehicle in order to maintain a comfortable temperature in winter and summer. These auxiliary systems supplement the primary HVAC system mounted in the forward portion of the vehicle. Because of the large interior volume of these vehicles, the combined primary and auxiliary HVAC systems must have a relatively large cooling capacity.
Warm air holds more moisture than cold air; accordingly, when warm humid air is cooled moisture condenses into water. Unfortunately, large capacity cooling systems generate enough condensed water to quickly fill the housing of most auxiliary HVAC units. Unless the condensed water is removed from the unit, the vehicle windows will fog, and mold will grow in the interior of the vehicle, which has a very undesirable musty smell. Accordingly, the provides a means to route the condensed water out of the housing of an auxiliary HVAC unit.
The improved housing for an auxiliary HVAC unit according to the present invention has an integral drain which permits water to drain from the HVAC unit. The bottom wall of the housing is formed into a collection basin which is located adjacent to the housing air inlet to take advantage of the lower air pressure produced by the high air velocity at the inlet due to the fan. The bottom wall also includes a series of sloped drainage channels near the edges of the bottom wall which drain water towards the collection basin. A raised area in the bottom wall urges the water towards the drainage channels. Once in the drainage channels, the water drains into the collection basin, which is provided with a drain opening which routes the condensed water out of the unit.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an auxiliary heating and air conditioning unit with an improved housing having an integral collection basin in the bottom wall thereof and a drain opening which drains water from the collection basin.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved housing which pulls condensed water into a collection basin by using the low pressure area created by the fan adjacent to the air inlet.
These and other objects of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following description.